Sorry to chip in so late, but I do have a couple of suggestions.
Your first 2 dances progress from a left hand star to a new neighbor.
For experienced dancers, this is no big deal. For novices it can be
problematic. The issue arises because as the star makes a full
rotation, the men are facing away from the direction of progression
and their new neighbor is actually behind them. I usually make a
comment to the men "If you don't know where your new neighbor is, just
look behind you" That usually is enough to get them through it.
The other potential problem is in the dance Trip to Lambertville (one
of my favorites). During the walk through, point out to the men that
the Allemande in the B1 is with the same Gent from the A2 Allemande.
The first time I called the dance, I negleted to point that out, and
the dancers really struggled.
Best of luck to you!
> I have my first dance this Saturday so I thought I would post my draft
> program to see what some of you think. [Apologies for the VERY long email!]
>
> -If you have any suggestions on teaching tips, that would be lovely. I'm
> working on those today (along with figuring out how I want to teach my first
> beginners lesson ? yikes!!!).
> -I love it when callers provide neat little facts (e.g., where the name of
> the dance came from; when it was written; etc.). If you have ideas here,
> please let me know! I also have four dances without authors and two dances
> without names.
> -And, of course, feel free to critique dance selection and order!
>
> A bit about the dance community -------------------
> -The dance is in Maberly Ontario, out in the countryside 1.5hrs from Ottawa.
> The dance has been happening four times a year (Maberly Quarterly!) for
> two years.
> -Sheesham and Lotus always play the dance and Martha Cooper is usually the
> caller. As context, S&L have lots of experience playing contras (both were
> in Flapjack and one was in the Groovemongers). They play oldtime with
> fiddle and banjo for the whole evening so it's driven' music with not as
> much variety in sound as you would get with some bands.
> -The local dance community is novice and while some Ottawa dancers come out,
> dances need to be kept relatively simple.
> -The hall is quite small and can get quite full.
> -There is always a beginners lesson before the dance begins
> -Timing of the dance 730 lesson, 8pm dance, break around 915/930, finishes
> at 11pm
> -Martha has traditionally called a mix of contras and squares with (I
> think), more contras in the mix.
>
> A bit about my draft program---------------------
> -I'm aiming for fun, variety, and discovery/learning.
> -I'm aiming for one walk through but will do two if needed ? I want to see
> if I can help tweak the ear of local dancers to be picking up information on
> the first time around as well as keeping that feeling of momentum.
> -I haven't put any 'down the hall in a line of 4' within the programming. I
> would try them another time in Maberly but it seems to be a challenging move
> for that community. One reason is that the hall isn't very big so it's hard
> to get a good feeling in that move. The other is that there are so many
> beginners that it seems from previous dances that leaving their circle and
> space could maybe cause confusion. I'm going to test whether keeping them
> more within their home space on the dance floor will keep the beginners a
> bit more grounded.
> -I have also left out heys. I do like them but I have a lot of variety
> coming in from other aspects of the program and I want to focus on other
> aspects of dancing this evening.
> -I'm trying to cater to both a large number of beginners locally as well as
> those experienced dancers coming from Ottawa. The experienced folks from
> Ottawa aren't the super aerobic dancers who want huge challenges so I think
> they'll be ok as long as variety is there and there are fun surprises here
> and there.
> -Working with the driven' 4/4 old time sounds and thinking about what dances
> would fit with that.
> -I would have loved to have tried a square or chesnut but with it being my
> first full dance, I want to focus on an overall successful evening. :)
> -I'm aiming for 7 dances in the first half, 4-5 in the second + I have some
> back up dances if needed.
>
> Draft program with comments -----------------
> 1. Swallowtail's First (DI) - ???unknown author to me
> -Put first because of the neighbour swing so folks can practice swinging
> with various people. No partner swing in this dance, the only one of the
> evening without PSw.
> -Getting dancers solid (hopefully) on LChain, Stars, and Circling
> -staying within circle
>
> 2. Baby Rose (DI) - David Kaynor
> -Introducing the balance (twice!)
> -similar progression as previous ? nice for the very start
> -staying within circle
>
> 3. New Fall Reel (Becket) - Susan Kevra
> -Introduce a different formation
> -beginners second chance to head towards a solid balance and swing
> -long lines appear! Wooohooo! Good timing here (hopefully) + feel the
> room/community
> -Sequences of alemands gets a few quicker 'thinking' moments on people's
> radar
> -different progression, easy enough and feels great/different
> -staying within circle
>
> 4. Mad Scatter (scatter mixer) - Rick Mohr
> -I want to get the dancers mixing through dance and this is such a fun
> mixer. Want the feeling of a bit of chaos but fun/controlled.
> -Put this dance forth as I wanted to have the moves solidified above first
> -First promenade of the night (just realized!)... that should be ok though ?
> I'll cover it in the beginners lesson and revisit here.
>
> 5. Family Contra (DI) ? Sherry Nevins
> -I know this dance can be used for the first of the evening but I thought
> would save until a bit later.
> -Bal the ring & couple DSD for progression are neat features that will make
> this dance feel different from others at this point in the evening.
>
> 6. Lexington's Loss (DI) ? Carol Ormand
> -R&Ls make this dance feel different
> -This is my sacrificial dance of the first half (i.e., if I'm running low on
> time, I'll cut this one)
>
> 7. ???Unknown name ? HELP!!! (DI) ? Author???
> -Wanted something simple and lively to end the first half. Also something
> that would connect the community before the break (long lines :)).
> -starts and finishes the same as Lexington's Loss. Not great in many ways
> but maybe ok as people tired heading into the break?
>
> QUICK WALTZ
>
> ----BREAK-----
>
> 8. Snowball waltz
> -What do folks think? This is very much a community contra dance and so I
> thought by having a short waltz to end the first half, we could have a
> second waltz at the start of the second half to bring the community back
> together.
> -Snowball waltz would accomplish a few things? (1) mix dancers up again in a
> fun way, (2) get inexperienced waltzers dancing with experienced folks
> (doesn't happen as often with waltzes), and (3) get everyone up on the
> floor to start the second half.
> -If you like the idea, do you think I should either (1) announce that it's a
> snowball and get a few people with birthdays in Feb to start (2) get the
> band to start playing and a couple of dancers to start dancing so the
> snowball is a surprise (3) other???
> -I guess if it's announced, could even show what the waltz step is
> quickly??? ???
>
> 10. Feet in Flight (DI) --- Author?????
> -many new moves: petronella, roll away (in pretty safe spot), gypsy,
> California twirl
> -I wanted a petronella dance and I really liked the look of this one even
> though it's challenging. Open to suggestions though!)
>
> 9. Trip to Lamberville (DI) ? Steve ZA
> -familiar moves except into the center to balance the wave.
> -bit of standing around so if folks are tired, space to relax? maybe should
> have thought of this aspect of programming for my first half.
>
> 11. Who's in the middle(DI) ? Al Olson
> -new move is balance the wave
> -have some fun with who ends up in the middle
>
> 12. ???unknown HELP!!! (DI) ? Unknown??
> -simple, all familiar moves to finish off the dance
>
> Final Waltz
>
>
> The dances themselves -----------------
>
> 1. Swallowtails?s First - ???? - Improper
> A1: (8) neighbor do si do; (8) neighbor swing
> A2: (16) ladies chain over and back
> B1: (8) circle left; (8) circle right
> B2: (8) right hand star; (8) left hand star
>
> 2. (The) Baby Rose - David Kaynor - Improper
> A1: Neighbor Balance & Swing (16)
> A2: Circle Left Three Places (8) // Partner Do-si-do (16)
> B1: Partner Balance & Swing (16)
> B2: Ladies Chain (8) // Left Hand Star (8)
>
> 3. New Fall Reel? - Susan Kevra - Beckett
> A1: circle left 3 places (1/2); neighbour balance and swing
> A2: long lines (1/2); ladies chain
> B1: ladies allemande (full); partner allemande 1.5; gents allemande (full)
> [keep talk flowing..watch as maybe bit space before gents allemande]
> B2: partner balance and swing (3/4); slide left (this kind of happens at the
> start of A1)
>
> 4. Mad Scatter Rick Mohr; March, 2010 ?. Mixer, Scattered circles of two or
> more couples
> Level: Easy/Intermediate
> A1: Circle left (8) //// Dosido neighbor (8)
> A2: Allemande right with partner 1 1/2 (8) //// Women star (or allemande)
> left while men orbit clockwise (8)
> B1: Balance and swing new partner (16)
> B2: Promenade anywhere with new partner (16) (Find another group to circle
> with)
> In this mixer dancers form scattered groups with any number of couples. That
> makes for fun chaos, less transition panic (compared with 2-couple scatter
> mixers), and more flavors to enjoy as circle sizes vary.
> The A2 allemande ends with women in the center facing counterclockwise and
> men on the outside facing clockwise. If there are two women they allemande
> left for 8 beats; if there are more than two they star left for 8 beats.
> Either way, the men orbit clockwise around the women. Then all balance and
> swing a new partner and promenade to a new group.
> I tell the dancers it's a zero-stress dance. "If a couple wants to join your
> circle, let them in!" And no problem if you happen to keep the same partner
> now and then.
>
>
> 5. Family Contra (Sherry Nevins) duple minor-- don't worry about gender,
> proper or improper
> A1 Balance ring 2x, circle left 1x ("Go IN... and OUT... and IN... and
> OUT)
> A2 Balance ring 2x, circle right 1x
> B1 DSD with neighbor, DSD with partner
> B2 Facing other couple and with inside hands joined with partner, DSD 1.5
> as a couple to progress
>
> 6. Lexington?s Loss - Carol Ormand - Improper
> A1: Neighbour B&W
> A2: R&L over // R&L back
> B1: CL ? // Partner swing
> B2: LLFB // CL ? and pass through up or down
>
> 7. ?????????????? Improper ???????
> A1: neighbour balance & swing
> A2: long lines; ladies allemande left 1?
> B1: partner balance and swing
> B2: gents do-si-do (1/2 about); circle left ?; pass through (to new
> neighbour)
>
>
> 8. Snowball waltz
>
> 9. Feet in Flight -???- Improper
> A1: Ring balance; women roll neigbor gent away with a half sashay ///
> Ladies chain
> A2: Women gypsy /// Swing P
> B1: Circle L x3/4 /// Ring balance, Petronella twirl
> B2: Ring balance, Petronella twirl /// Ring balance, California twirl
> ? ? Not original version but ok
>
> 10. Trip To Lamberville - Steve Zakon-Anderson
> A1: [8] Ladies into the center to a wave and balance /// [8] Gents into the
> center to a wave and balance
> A2: [8] Gents allemende left 3/4 to a wave across and balance //// [8]
> Neighbors swing
> B1: [8] Gents allemende left 1 ? //// [8] Partners swing
> B2: [8] Right and left through ///// [8] Ladies chain
>
> 11. Who?s in the Middle? - Al Olson - DI
>
> A1- Circle left /// Allemande right your neighbor until someone is in the
> center where they join left hands to form an ?ocean wave?
> A2- Balance the wave, those in the middle allemande left once around ///
> Swing neighbor
> B1- Promenade across; right and left back
> B2- Ladies chain, over and back
> Notes from Syracuse callers gathering: This is a beginner dance, and fun.
> It?s a game to play with the speed of your allemande. Eye contact can convey
> whose turn it is to be in the middle. It can be reassuring to a beginner
> that it doesn?t matter how fast one goes on the allemande right. The B-parts
> also introduce a bunch of basic figures (also helpful for newcomers). The
> caller should probably keep calling in the B-parts (especially for
> beginners) because you are crossing back and forth. We talked about
> replacing the chain with a hey-for-4, to move the B-parts a bit away from
> solid ?glossary? figures. Call it, ?Who?s in the Hey?? This brought to mind
> a dance by Gene Hubert, that has a hey and a similar game about taking turns
> with who starts it:
>
> 12. ?? Improper ????
> A1: neighbour balance and wswing
> A2: forwards and back // L 1.5 gyspy
> B2: Partner balance and swing
> B1: ladies half chain // Star L to next couple
>
--
Donna Calhoun
Knoxville Country Dancers
Knoxville, Tennessee
